Meg's migraine

I was going to write on my blog yesterday to say don’t expect much of me this week, as I’ve been so shattered. I’ve been doing work experience and in two days have been to a brilliant Organic media fair, about local inspiring organic businesses, and written up two articles. When I’ve got home I’ve not been capable of doing anything much.

Today didn’t go quite so well, it started off ok, as I fine polished the articles, and chased up a quote or two. However I then started research for an article, which an hour later found out had been double booked, and someone else was doing it. So I was given the other part of the feature which is all about Green homes. I didn’t really mind, because I had to verify quite technical stuff about Volatile Organic Compounds released from paints, and the amount of toxic waste there is from the production of paint. It was interesting, but I don’t have a very technical mind. I prefer the new piece I’m doing, it’s more me.

So I had just about started when I got a call from Megs, in a very distressed state, she was feeling sick, was shaky, and had a terrible headache. She was crying so much I could hardly hear what she was saying, and she was having trouble speaking. Panic stations, trouble was even if I left right away I was over an hour away, and she needed someone to be there with her till I got back. I rang Tamsin (who’s 20 tomorrow), and was out getting a birthday tattoo, but she hadn’t been yet and was in Newquay. I rang my friend but she wasn’t in, and her mobile went to voicemail. So I rang Megs who had just been sick, and said I would be there as soon as possible. I actually got back in five minutes over an hour. I didn’t speed but the roads were pretty clear. Total guilt trip all the way back, what kind of mother am I to leave a 14year old daughter at home etc. Even though she’s completely capable of looking after herself, and normally happy to, as she can have friends round without mum about, the guilt still eats into you. Guilt is a completely useless emotion.

Megs looked awful, there was no colour in her face she was cold and clammy, and when she did try and speak she couldn’t get her words out. She was sick again as I came in, but she said the worse thing was her head. I got a cold wet flannel for her head, but couldn’t give her any painkillers because she was feeling sick. There wasn’t much I could do, I kept changing the flannel. She unfortunately does suffer from headaches, and this seemed like an extreme migraine. When her right hand went numb, and then the whole arm, I decided to call the doctor. I asked, if was possible to speak to a doctor over the phone as there was no way I would be able to get her into the surgery. I was put through to the doctor on call, I described the symptoms, he talked to Megs on the phone, who was clearly having trouble talking, and then said he would come right over. He was here in 10 minutes. I was amazed but very grateful.

After questioning and checking her out really thoroughly, he decided to give her a couple of injections, one for pain relief and one to stop her feeling sick. It was a migraine; apparently you can get numbness in the body with migraine. The problem is Megs has had a problem with needles, the dentist had to send her to a hospital dentist to be given gas, before she can have an injection. She has tried twice to get her ears pierced, but not been able to. She was so out of it, I thought she might be able to do it this time, or at least think it would be worth it to stop the pain and sickness. Unfortunately at the first sight of the needle she couldn’t do it.

The only other alternative was suppositories, so the doctor wrote me out a prescription. He was here at least half and hour, which I was grateful for. However even though he was the on call doctor, he still had patients with appointments to see him while he was out. Which in my eyes, is another example of a failing NHS. See previous posting (lack of communication within NHS).

Luckily Tamsin was back, the tattoo shop was closed, so I was able to go down to pick them up. She had settled a bit, and wasn’t sure at first whether she wanted the suppositories. I don’t blame her, do you? I just wrote I didn’t want to push it, meaning I didn’t want to pressurize her, and it made me laugh, but you know what I mean. She dosed on and off for a bit and then was sick again, so she decided to let me administer them (nicest way to put it). Within 15 minutes she was sick again, and then sat up saying she was feeling better. She didn’t look so out of it. Since then she’s slept on and off, her head was still hurting but not enough to stop her sleeping.

A few hours later
The pain killer suppository has worn off, and although she’s not as out of it as she was earlier, she is feeling sick again and her heads feeling very painful. I’m not going to go in tomorrow, there’s no way I can leave her. So I also have the guilt trip, about not managing to stick at a work placement. I am going to work on the article tomorrow in the day, and will actually probably get more done at home, but I am sure I will need to go in an extra day next week, to get everything finished and gather enough information for my Industry analysis. So far I’ve been so involved in the work, I haven’t been able to learn much about how the whole process of managing and producing their magazine. The only problem is I have so much work to do for Uni, it breaks into the time I have to do that.

Whatever happens my children come first, and if I’m not able to hand in complete versions of my assignments, as long as I can catch up before they are handed in for assessment, it’s not a big problem. The only assessed pieces, due in 2 weeks are the Industry analysis, and the website which is now online.

Megs is sleeping in with me tonight, I think its going to be a long one.